Ariel Black-the true story
by Squirrelkit
Summary: Sirius Black had a daughter so unique that she had many talents, and no weaknesses. She is one of a kind, and is willing to prove it. She takes Advanced Classes, and knows everything, even who her and her friends will end up with, and if they have kids. Join her, Harry and their friends on their adventures as she battles with herself on what she wants and what she needs to do.
1. Ariel's Past and Present

Chapter 1

"Ariel, protect Harry, whatever the cost." That was the promise Ariel Samantha Black had made at age 2 ½ , a week from when Lord Voldemort attacked the Potter house, killed Lily and James Potter, tried to kill Harry and lost his powers. She had sealed her promise with the Unbreakable Vow. She promised James Potter she would protect his son, Harry James Potter, what ever the cost.

She had done well, protecting Harry, but she had also lost her father, Sirius Orion Black, a week after she made the Vow. Peter Pettigrew had betrayed Lily and James to Voldemort, leading up to their death, and faked his own death by cutting off a finger, killing 13 people with one curse with his wand that was behind his back, framing her father and fled the scene after transforming into a rat (she saw the whole scene while she was up in a tree). The Ministry took her father to Azkaban, the wizard prison, without a trial. So, at 2 ½, Ariel fled to where Harry was, Little Whinging, Surrey (who would take Sirius Blacks' daughter in?) and a Squib by the name of Arabella Figgs took care of her. When Ariel got older, she would randomly stop by to check on Harry and make sure he was being treated well. They treat him better than what they did, at least, ever since she started visiting them randomly.

Hogwarts wrote to her when she was 11 ½, saying she was accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but she had wrote to them, telling them the circumstances, her situation, and to write to her when Harry goes to Hogwarts, using logic of asking how could she watch him when she's done with school two years before he is a seventh year? Saying she'll take advanced courses to make up for this.

Ariel looked like her mother (she remembered her father and she only has his eyes, ears and chin when she sets it with her stubbornness), who must have had dark brown hair (which turns black when wet), a small, petite body, and gray-blue eyes, but more blue than anything.

Now two years later, Hogwarts writes again, enclosing a P.S., stating Harry is attending this year. Ariel read the letter:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of _WITCHCRAFT _and _WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf., Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September first.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress _

P.S. Harry is attending Hogwarts this year.

Ariel opened the envelope further to find a list:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of _WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please not that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have the copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

By Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

By Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

By Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

By Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Advanced Students will need the following as well:

_Hogwarts, A History_

_Lost Spells and Charms_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Hexes and Curses_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Potion-making and Ingredients_ by Arsenius Jigger

_Transfiguration at it's Best_ by Emeric Switch

_Phyllida's Guide to Plants and Herbs_ by Phyllida Spore

_Beasts and their Properties_ by Newt Scamander

_Historical Inventors and Figures_ by Marilyn Granger

Ariel nodded, knowing she could get all theses in Diagon Alley. Then she saw another note from the Hogwarts Gamekeeper, Hagrid, her cousin (His dad was her mom's brother).

Dear Ariel,

How are yeh? I'll pick yeh

up before I pick up Harry.

I'm taking him ter get his

things. It would help a lot if

yeh came. Hope yer well.

Hagrid

A week later, someone knocked on the front door and Ariel opened it to see Hagrid.

"Hey, Ariel. Got yer letter an' everythin'?"

"Yes, let's go. The Dursleys left on Sunday."

"Where'd they go?"

"In a house on a rock in the middle of the sea."

"I know where tha' is. Follow me." He led the way until he stopped so abruptly that Ariel bumped into him. She flew backward on the road with an "oof!" and glared at Hagrid, who didn't notice. "Dumbledore is suppose ter be here soon."

As he spoke there was a _Pop! _And an elderly wizard appeared with a long silver beard, half-moon spectacles, blue robes, and blue eyes. "Good evening, Hagrid, Ariel. How have you been?"

"Fine, considering the bloody Ministry took my only parent from me, the whole wizarding world think he's guilty of the 'murder'"- she used air quotes around the word murder- "of Peter Pettigrew, I've had to _basically_ raise myself because no family would take the daughter of Sirius Black." I had said 'basically' because Mrs. Figgs took care of me when I was younger, but when she had to work, or volunteer, she would leave me with her stupid cats…but she only started doing this when I was 4 or 5. "Uncle Remus is nowhere to be seen, and I've had a hell of a time keeping the Dursleys trying to squash the magic out of Harry and treating him horribly. Why do you ask?" Ariel glared at Dumbledore, but she didn't wait for an answer. "Why'd you bring him here of all places? Wouldn't a wizarding family have taken him in?"

Dumbledore didn't interrupt her rant, just gazed at her, deeply amused. Now he said, "That they would have. 'An honor' as they call it, but I have my reasons. In which you will learn when your talent kicks in at Hogwarts. You have to be in the Magical world once a year for it to work, and as you kept to the Muggle world to keep an eye on the twins for 10 ½ years, it's 'been asleep', as they say."

Ariel blinked, shocked. She had a talent? How did she have a talent and not know it? "I'll answer your questions later, at Hogwarts, but we need to get to Harry." Ariel nodded in agreement. "Ready?" He held out both his arms and Hagrid and Ariel grabbed them. There was a _pop! _and they appeared at the Hut-on-the-rock-on-the-sea. "I must go. I'll see you at Hogwarts." Pop! Dumbledore left.

Ariel looked around in the pouring rain. There was a boat they could row to safety in the morning once the rain cleared up.

"Hagrid, we could use the boat to get us to the other side after we get Harry."

"Yer right. Alright. C'mon. Let's get this over with." He walked over to the door, the rock creaking, and slammed his fist on the door.

BOOM!


	2. Harry

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I forgot to add that to the first chapter. The only thing I own is Ariel.**

Chapter 2

BOOM!

Hagrid burst the door off its hinges. He picked up the door and put it back easily on the frame. Harry's mouth was open.

"Couldn' make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."

He strode over to Dudley on the couch and said "Budge up, yeh great lump!"

Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mum, who was hiding behind her husband.

Ariel followed Hagrid out of the rain and into the hut. "An' here is Harry," Ariel's cousin said.

Harry looked up into his eyes and saw that they were crinkled in a smile.

"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby!" said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, Harry, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."

Vernon made a weird rasping noise. Ariel silently snickered.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir! You are breaking and entering!" Ariel saw Harry looked like he was still in a bit of shock.

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune!" Hagrid said, snatching Vernon's rifle and twisting the end. Ariel smugly smiled at the Muggle.

He threw it into a corner and Ariel saw out of the corner of her eye, Harry's green eyes flickered with fear.

The fat Muggle made a sound, but Ariel and Hagrid ignored him, facing Harry.

"Anyway, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here-I mighta sat on it at some point but it'll taste all right."

He pulled a box out of a pocket in his overcoat and handed it to Harry, who opened it. Inside was a chocolate cake with the words _Happy Birthday Harry _written on it with green icing.

Harry looked up at Hagrid. He looked like something was lost on the way out of his mouth, because what he said instead was, "Who are you?"

"True, I haven't introduced myself," Hagrid chuckled. "Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He held out his hands and shook his arm.

"What about that tea then, eh? I'd not say no to summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind." Ariel shook her head at that statement, but then saw the fireplace and the Muggles pitiful attempt to light a fire with potato chip bags. Ariel rolled her eyes and thought, _Stupid Muggles. That's not how you light a fire._

Hagrid had seen the empty grate and snorted in amusement. He bent over the fireplace and a moment later a bright fire was there. Ariel felt as if she'd sunk into a nice hot tub after being in the cold rain.

Hagrid sat down on the sofa and Ariel walked silently over by Hagrid, glaring at the Dursleys every now and then.

He started to take all sorts of things out of his pockets: a kettle, a pack of sausages, a poker, a teapot, some mugs that didn't look as if they were new and a bottle of amber liquid which he had a drink from before cooking.

Soon, the sound and smell of sizzling sausages could be heard and smelled. Everyone was silent but as the giant slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Vernon said "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."

Hagrid chuckled darkly and Ariel sneered at Vernon.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don't need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."

He passed the sausages to Harry, who looked hungry and when he tasted it, he had this looked on his face like it was the tastiest thing in the world, but he still couldn't look away from the Hagrid.

Finally, Harry seemed plucked up the courage to say "I'm sorry but I still don't know who you really are."

Hagrid took a gulp of tea and used his sleeve to wipe his mouth.

"Call me Hagrid, everyone does," he replied. "An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts-yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."

"Er, no," Harry admitted.

Hagrid looked shocked.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

"_Sorry_?" Hagrid barked. He turned to stare at the Dursleys, who attempted to shrink into the shadows.

"It's them who should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know about Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"

"All what?" Harry asked.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered.

"Now wait jus' one second!"

He had leapt to his feet and in his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall and for once it was near impossible to see Dudley.

"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy —this boy!- knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?"

Ariel cringed. Hagrid was saying Harry was dumb. While not the best in his class, Harry knew how to use his brain, and did best under stress.

"I know some things," Harry said, proving Ariel's theory. "I can do math and stuff."

But Hagrid waved his hand and said "About _our _world, I mean. _Your _world. _My _world. _Yer parents' world_."

"What world?" Hagrid looked like he was going to explode. Ariel was just as angry, even though she already knew this.

"DURSLEY!"

Vernon, extremely pale, mumbled something that sounded like "Mimblewimble."

Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.

"But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're _famous_. You're _famous_."

"What?" Harry said. "My-my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?"

"Yeh don't know...yeh don' know..." Hagrid muttered. "Yeh don' know what yeh two _are_?" Ariel stared wild-eyed at them, hoping she was wrong.

"Stop! Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!" Uncle Vernon said, some of his confidence returning, and then leaving as Hagrid and the Ariel fixed him with her death glare.

"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

"Kept _what _from me?" said Harry sounding eager.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Vernon in panic and Petunia gasped in horror.

"Ah, go boil yer heads." Hagrid turned to the siblings.

"Wait, Hagrid, before you tell him what he is, I've got some business to take care of." Hagrid nodded, knowing that she was about to explode with fury.

Ariel turned to the Dursleys', her misty eyes blazing, and stalked over to them with righteous anger. "You never did what I told you to do! I told you to look after him as your own, like Professor Dumbledore said! And you didn't listen! How dare you try to be a parent to your spoiled rotten brat and treat Harry like dirt! How dare you!" Then she mumbled a fake charm and the Dursleys cowered in terror. Ariel smirked, eyes still smoldering, and turned to Harry. "I'm Ariel, by the way. I've been making sure these dimbos don't hurt you or anything. You could say I've been watching over you for the past ten years, since I was two-and-a-half years old. Well, my guardian did it at first, then I took over. However, she still watches over you when I'm, um, deathly ill. " She nodded to Hagrid to continue.

"Harry,-yer a wizard." The silence was so intense that you could have heard a pin drop, if not for the storm raging outside.

"I'm a _what_?" Harry gasped. Ariel giggled.

"Nice reaction, Harry," she gasped and finally calmed down. Harry just rolled his eyes and smiled shyly.

"A wizard, o' course," Hagrid said, sitting back down, "an' thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter." He held out a letter and Harry took it.

Harry slit his open and read: (If it was anything like Ariel's, besides being in advanced classes, she knew what it would say)

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Finally, Harry stammered "What does it mean, they await my owl?"

Ariel rolled her eyes.

That's_ his first question out of_ hundreds_ he probably had?_ she thought.

"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me!" Hagrid slapped his forehead and pulled out a real live owl from another pocket. Ariel would have to get an owl; she was deathly allergic to cats, and couldn't stand toads. She didn't know why, she just did.

He also pulled out a quill and a roll of parchment. He scribbled a note which the siblings and Ariel could read upside down:

_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

_Given Harry his letter._

_Taking them (Harry and Ariel) to buy their things tomorrow._

_Weather's horrible. Hope you're well._

_Hagrid_

Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm.

Then he came back and sat down. "Where was I?" Hagrid said but Vernon chose that moment to speak.

"He's not going," he said.

Hagrid grunted.

"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said. Ariel nodded in agreement, glaring at them, but though Vernon was terrified of Ariel, he did not back down. Ariel was surprised and impressed. Even the famous Albus Dumbledore had seen her glare and had to take a moment to control his fear.

"A what?" asked Harry.

"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call non magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!" Ariel glared and Vernon cowered.

"You _knew_?" said Harry. "You _knew _I'm a — a wizard?"

"_Knew_?" Petunia screeched. "_Knew_? Of course we knew! How could you not be, my perfect sister being the way she was! Oh yes, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that _school_- and came home every holidays turning cups into rats!"

She took a deep breath and Harry was staring at his aunt in shock.

"I was the only one who saw her for what she was- a _freak_! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family! Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you would be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —_abnormal_— and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

Harry had gone white. Ariel only saw this from the corner of her eye, she was too busy glaring at the Dursleys. She had known Aunt Lily and loved her dearly, especially Uncle James. Daddy had always told her stories of their adventure at Hogwarts. Ariel didn't know how she remembered this, since a few hours ago she had forgotten there even_ was_ a Hogwarts (She did, however, remember that night the most, considering she spent every night remembering what had happened). He had told her all the time he, Uncle James, Uncle Remus and Uncle Peter (though not an uncle in her eyes anymore) would get up to mischief and he had told her he was hoping she would inherit his love of pranks and get up to mischief as well.

Then, after a little while, he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their little corner.

"How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"

"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.

The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.

"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'." Ariel's anger faded, immediately feeling grief, sadness and guilt.

He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys, which Ariel mimicked tenfold. The Dursleys silently whimpered.

"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…" Ariel choked back a sob.

He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —"

"Who?" Harry asked

"Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

"Why not?" Harry said.

"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…"

_Voldemort_, Ariel thought.

Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah — can't spell it. All right —_Voldemort_. "

Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway."

Ariel came up behind Hagrid and gripped the couch to keep herself from collapsing and sobbing right then and there as Hagrid relived that dreadful night.

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side."

They were. Memories forgotten and remembered alike came flashing back to her, wave after wave, and she had to grip the couch tighter to stay upright. The warning in her head that something was wrong, checking up on Pettigrew, chasing Pettigrew, daddy telling her to hide, her deciding whether or not to follow daddy orders or go straight to the Potters to save them, her following the orders, climbing up a tree, and watching her dad and Pettigrew fight. Pettigrew cutting of his finger, blasting the killing curse, her jumping onto a higher branch, the curse hitting her leg, leaving a scar, Pettigrew transforming into a rat and scurrying into the sewers. The Ministry arriving, arresting her father, her begging for an appeal, them saying the evidence is too clear, her searching for Uncle Remus so they could find out news about the Potters, her traveling alone to the Potters because the werewolf had abandoned her, her arriving at the Potters and seeing the destruction, her finding Harry and hugging him, sobbing, and Hagrid finding them, taking them to the Dursleys, and Ariel getting off at Mrs. Figgs to watch over her cousin.

Ariel had always wondered how she had gotten that scar, but Mrs. Figgs said she couldn't tell her. Now she knew; Pettrigrew had caused it. Ariel's eyes blazed with anger. Whatever happened, she swore on her Aunt and Uncle's grave that she would catch that filthy rat and turn him in, even if she wanted to destroy him.

"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —"

Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.

"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anyway…

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got those marks on yer foreheads? They were no ordinary cuts. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts— an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."

Hagrid was watching them sadly, while Ariel was seething with pure fury, even though she was sad that her cousin was an orphan.

"Took yeh and Ariel from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot…." Ariel wanted to say more, but restrained herself.

"Load of old tosh," said Vernon. Ariel jumped; she had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there, but she glared at them after she recovered.

Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage again. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.

"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured— and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion— asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"

But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…" Ariel was so furious at that point that she felt her body shifting., which caused her to panic, and the shifting stopped.

In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.

"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.

Ariel, meanwhile, was freaking out over what had happened with the whole shifting thing and how something was pulling her outside, how she could feel vibrations, and feel the wind howling. She could even tell dawn was not far off. How, she couldn't tell you, but it was freaking her out.

"But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?" Harry asked.

"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go?

"Some say he died." (Ariel snorted) "Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who were on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.

"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — _I _dunno what it was, no one does— but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."

Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Ariel looked at him with a life time of love, seeing as she could easily she her deceased Aunt and Uncle in her cousin, and she loved them for who they were (Harry looked like James and somewhat his brain for most things and had Lily's brain for some things, but most of the time acted like Lily).

Harry looked doubtful. "Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."

Hagrid, and Ariel chuckled at him.

"Dear cousin, I don't think that's how it works," Ariel said, knowing what had him so doubtful. Hagrid said every Muggleborn he's had to give letters to thought the same thing. But that wasn't it.

Ariel narrowed her eyes in thought. She was sure something was going through Harry mind that Ariel somehow heard and answered. She knew there was a name for that besides mind reading, she just couldn't place it.

"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you were scared or angry?" Hagrid smiled.

Harry looked into the fireplace, deep in thought. Then, he looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.

"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."

But fatso wasn't going to give in without a fight.

"Haven't I told you they're not going?" he hissed. "They're going to Stonewall High and they'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and they needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —"

"If they want ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop them," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name has been down ever since he was born!

"He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—"

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH THEM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Vernon.

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Ariel saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers. Ariel silently laughed, clutching her sides.

Vernon roared. Pulling Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."

He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.

"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letter to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job."

"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.

"Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."

"Why were you expelled?"

"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry. "You can both kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

Ariel sat down on the arm of the chair and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of an unknown girl who looked like her and her mother.

**Yes, I know it's the same story just without Clary. But I decided that I should do the real Harry Potter with Ariel still protecting him, but they could communicate with each other. No it's not telepathy-well it is, but not twin telepathy. Ariel is able to master Legilimency and Occlumency her first year and is able to use that to communicate with Harry and she uses it so she can hear his thoughts as well. This only strengthens their bond.**


	3. Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I do own Ariel, but that's it.**

Chapter 3

Ariel woke early the next morning. Although she could tell it was daylight, she kept her eyes shut tight.

_It was a dream, s_he told himself firmly. _I dreamt my mother and a girl who mysteriously looks like me were here and with me. They are not here. You killed your mother and birth and you never had a twin sister, or sister for that matter. Forget it, you are still an only child and have no mother and your father is still in prison._

There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. Probably an owl or something.

But she still didn't open her eyes, trying to stay in her dream. _It's just a dream, stupid. It will never happen. So don't hope for it._

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"All right," Ariel heard Harry mumble, "I'm getting up."

He must of sat up because Ariel heard Hagrid's heavy coat fall off him and onto the floor. Ariel opened her eyes and stretched.

The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.

Ariel saw Harry scrambled to his feet, looking so happy as stood there. Harry went straight to the window and jerked it open.

The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that," Harry protested to the owl. Ariel shook her head and smiled fondly.

Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.

"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl —"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.

"What?"

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."

Hagrid's coat was made of nothing _but _pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, Harry found a handful of strange-looking coins.

"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.

Ariel rolled her eyes. _He won't know what that is Hagrid_. Her knowledge of the wizarding world seemed to have come back to her when she was dreaming last night. She remembered _everything_.

"Knuts?"

"The little bronze ones." Ariel pointed to them, getting up from her place on the arm of the chair.

Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.

Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.

"Best be off, Harry, Ariel, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

Harry was examining the strange coins but Ariel suddenly saw a look of sadness on Harry's face.

"Um — Hagrid?"

"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.

"I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything? I betcha Ariel's father even left her sumthin'." Ariel smiled and nodded, knowing he did, but he never mentioned what he did.

"But if their house was destroyed —" Harry started.

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."

"Wizards have _banks_?" Harry said in interest.

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding, while Ariel kept nibbling on her vegetarian snack she had thought to bring.

"_Goblins_?" Harry said in alarm.

"Yeah — so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe — 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you — gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see." Ariel groaned; if he was anything like his parents, he would be extremely curious and investigate eventually.

"Got everythin'? Come on, then." Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock, Ariel trailing behind. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Ariel assumed Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.

"Flew," lied Hagrid.

"_Flew_?" Harry said incredulously.

"Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."

They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, probably trying to imagine him flying, which wasn't that hard actually, and Ariel silently got into the boat.

"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"

"Of course not," said Harry, sounding eager, probably to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"Spells — enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults."

"And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

Harry sat quietly with a thoughtful look on his face while Hagrid read his newspaper, the _Daily Prophet_. Harry looked like he was restraining himself from asking something.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself.

"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

"But what does a Ministry of Magic _do_?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches and wizards up and down the country," Ariel said.

"Why?"

"_Why? _Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.

Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Ariel couldn't blame them, but she did resent it.

Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry, Ariel? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are _dragons _at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

Ariel shook her head and muttered, "Only Hagrid."

"You'd _like_ one," Harry gaped.

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go."

They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.

People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.

"Still got yer letters?" he asked as he counted stitches. Ariel shook her head, amused.

Harry took the parchment envelopes out of his pocket and Ariel got hers out of her pocket.

"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."

Ariel unfolded the second piece of parchment again and reread it:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of _WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please not that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have the copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _by Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection _by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Advanced Students will need the following as well:

_Hogwarts, A History_

_Lost Spells and Charms_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Hexes and Curses_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Potion-making and Ingredients_ by Arsenius Jigger

_Transfiguration at it's Best_ by Emeric Switch

_Phyllida's Guide to Plants and Herbs_ by Phyllida Spore

_Beasts and their Properties_ by Newt Scamander

_Historical Inventors and Figures_ by Marilyn Granger

Ariel heard Harry sigh. She wondered what he was thinking. She hoped it wasn't about a bloody cat. She would murder the thing if it came near her. But at the same time, she _knew_ Harry wasn't a cat person. So, for now it seemed, she had nothing to worry about.

"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.

"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.

Ariel knew Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid knew where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. Harry said nothing, and Ariel shook her head in amusement.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.

"Hagrid, they're more advanced than we are," Ariel said, easily keeping up with him.

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily and all Harry had to do was keep close behind him.

They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Ariel knew Harry would have missed it. And he wasn't the only one. The Muggles didn't seem to notice it was even there.

Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Ariel had the most peculiar feeling that only she, Harry, and Hagrid could see it.

Before any she could mention this, Hagrid had steered them inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut.

The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hands on Harry's shoulders and making his knees buckle.

"Hagrid!" Ariel scolded quietly. "I don't think this is the time for that! He's famous enough as it is without others seeing him right now."

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at them, "is this — can this be —?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter...what an honor."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

Ariel was fuming. She knew he was ready to take it, but she also knew that he shouldn't have to deal with his fame so soon.

Everyone was looking at Harry. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. Ariel huffed quietly, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes angrily.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop!"

"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Ariel, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked.

"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.

Ariel narrowed her eyes. There was something funny about this man, but she couldn't place it, but just looking at Professor Quirrell made her shiver unpleasantly.

"Not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry." Ariel knew Hagrid was not making his cousin known on purpose and she didn't mind it. Ariel knew what other thought of her and she didn't want to face it now.

Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you were famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?" Hagrid counted bricks in the wall above the trash can.

"Three up… two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, you two."

He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Harry's and Ariel's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Ariel looked quickly over her shoulder, saw Harry doing the same, and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"Yeah, you'll both be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."

Ariel wished she could be everywhere at once.

She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…" The woman look very familiar. She had red hair and five red headed children with her, two of which looked like twins.

A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Ariel heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —" and smiled.

_Quidditch. I can't wait to see and eventually play it_, she thought.

There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Ariel couldn't remember ever seeing before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…

"Gringotts," said Hagrid.

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was —

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was a little shorter than Harry, and certainly shorter than Ariel. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, they noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

Ariel tried to decipher it's meaning and did so within seconds.

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid, Ariel, and Harry made for the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe and Miss Ariel Black's safe."

"You have their key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers.

The goblin and Ariel wrinkled their nose.

Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals and Ariel watched the one on their left counting gold coins to keep her mind of the smell.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up two tiny golden keys.

The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he, Ariel, and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Griphook held the door open for them. Ariel, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty —, Ariel after, and were off.

At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Ariel tried to remember which way they were going, but it was impossible even for her; they were going too fast. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.

Ariel's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open, Harry doing the same. Once, they thought they saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late- they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

Ariel opened her mouth to explain but Hagrid beat her to it.

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.

Griphook unlocked the door, then went to a door beside them and unlocked that one, Ariel following him to collect her money.

A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Ariel gasped, hearing Harry gasp also. Inside were _huge_ mounds and mounds of Galleons and Silver Sickles and columns and columns bronze Knuts. Ariel had never seen her saving vault before, and knew her father was saving most of his money for her, but she didn't know it was this much. She suspected he put the rest of his in her vault from his school days. There was _no _way he saved this much money within three years. Her vault was nearly all the way filled!

"All yours," she heard Hagrid saying and it sounded like he was smiling.

She put some of it in her bag, filling completely, hearing coins rattling from the Harry's fault, and went to join Griphook, and asked him about Gringotts. The goblin looked pleased to have someone interesting to talk to and Ariel asked plenty of questions.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained to Ariel, and Hagrid explained the same thing to Harry. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough."

"Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." Hagrid said, turning to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only," said Griphook.

They were going even deeper now and gathering speed.

The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck, and Ariel chuckled at him.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Ariel asked, intrigued.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin. Ariel shivered delicately.

Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Ariel was positive, and she leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels or something really valuable and dangerous at the very least— and at first she thought it was empty. Then she noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor and Ariel shook her head in disappointment. Then she noticed Harry, who had done the same thing.

Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Ariel longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask, and vowed to find out what it was at Hogwarts. There was bound to be a library. I mean, what school doesn't have a library? She thought. Especially one as magical and mysterious as Hogwarts.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.

One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Ariel didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She wanted to go get her books, but also everything else. She didn't know what to do, Luckily, Hagrid decided for her.

"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, Ariel, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Ariel shook her head and followed Harry in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dears?" she said, when Harry started to speak and Ariel nodded. "Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length, while a third witch entered and started on Ariel.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy.

He had a bored, drawling voice.

Must be a Malfoy, Ariel thought.

"Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry, and Ariel, who had never met him but had heard him often enough to know what he's like, were strongly reminded of Dudley.

"Have any of _you _got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No," Harry said, probably wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.

"_I _do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

_ Yes, Gryffindor_, Ariel thought.

"No," said Harry.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" Definitely a Malfoy.

Ariel disagreed. If it meant she didn't have to see her Slytherin cousin, she'd happily go to Hufflepuff.

"Mmm," said Harry. Ariel was outraged; she didn't like this boy and couldn't believe she was related to him. She didn't know for sure yet, but she had this feeling she was…somehow.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry, and Ariel and pointing at three large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid," said Harry, sounding pleased to know something the boy didn't.

"He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?" Ariel quietly growled, growing more angry every time the boy spoke.

"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of _savage_— lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly at the same time Ariel growled, "He's my cousin" and Harry looked worried, and angry at the same time. She knew he knew, from the time he's spent time with her, that she didn't get angry too often, and when she did, it was dangerous. This is the first time he's heard her growl, so she knew he was worried about her temper.

"_Do _you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead," said Harry shortly, and Ariel's was already a dark red. If she got any more red, the boy would have hell to reckon with from her,

"Oh, sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all.

"But they were _our _kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean," said Harry.

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surnames, anyway?"

But before either Harry or Ariel could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's it; you're done, my dear," and Harry hopped down from the footstool at the same time as Ariel, who was finished too. She wasn't sorry to stop talking to this boy, and, it looked like, Harry didn't mind either.

"Well, I'll see you both at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.

Harry was rather quiet as they ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought them (Harry had chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts, and Ariel had chocolate layered with caramel on top).

"What's up?" said Hagrid.

"Nothing," Harry said and Ariel had a feeling Harry was lying.

They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. Ariel got regular ink saying it's important to keep it black (so she says, but Ariel knew Harry saw her grinning mischievously as she paid for it), but she did get blue ink as well.

When they had left the shop, Harry said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make us feel worse," said Harry, and Ariel nodded in agreement, knowing about it, just not knowing/remembering the rules. She told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.

"— and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —"

"Yer not _from _a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh both _were _— he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh, Harry. I didn't make notice of Ariel because of what everyone thinks of her and her-" Ariel shook her head urgently, which cut Hagrid off. He understood immediatley and changed the topic. "Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"So what _is _Quidditch?" Harry asked.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules."

Ariel sighed quietly in disappointment; she had hoped that Hagrid would be able to explain the rules to her. For some reason, Quidditch was the only thing she didn't remember.

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —" Ariel nodded in agreement, knowing what he was going to say, but he never got to finish.

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.

"Better Hufflepuff than that boy's house," Ariel said darkly, annoyed and irritated about somehow being related to that Malfoy kid.

"Yeah, better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" Ariel resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.

They bought their school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Ariel's eyes lit up and she knew instantly that this was her favorite shop.

Even Dudley, who never read anything Ariel knew, would have been wild to get his hands on some of those books. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from some curse book it looked like. Ariel walked to their part of the store to get her other things, after hearing the rest of their conversation.

("I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."

"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level.")

He really did have to drag Ariel out of the shop, once he found her of course. (After Ariel had bought her books, she started browsing for some books to read for fun).

Hagrid wouldn't let Harry, or Ariel, buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry and Ariel, Ariel found herself examining silver unicorn horns and tail at twenty-one Galleons each while Harry looked at minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).

Outside the apothecary, Hagrid checked their list again.

"Just yer wand left — Oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh both a birthday present."

Harry, and Ariel felt themselves go red.

"You don't have to —" Harry and Ariel started at the same time. Ariel really didn't want to celebrate her birthday and she knew Harry felt the same, but only because he never got a proper birthday party- well one that he could remember, anyway. She didn't want to celebrate her birthday because her birth was just a reminder that her mother died, and her father lost the love of his life...because of her.

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at— an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze.

"I'll get yer an owl, Harry an' o' course me cousin. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. Ariel was clutching handsome silver-black owl.

Harry couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell, and Ariel was uncomfortable, having took care of herself for a very long time and never celebrated her birthday anymore (most people didn't even know her birthday, but she knew Hagrid would remember), but she was able to nod her thanks.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A magic wand… this was what Ariel had been really looking forward to, but she was already reading one of her books- _Hogwarts, A History_.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Ariel felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling, then buried her nose in her book again quickly. For some reason, the back of the Ariel's neck prickled and she stiffened.

The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Ariel and Harry jumped.

Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair. Ariel was trying hard not to laugh but the strangeness of the shop won out because she was a stiff as a board.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry, and Ariel. Ariel wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy and unique, but the creepiness won over and Ariel shivered.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose and he shivered.

"And that's where…"

Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did them," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't _use _them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Ariel noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke and she smirked knowingly.

"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look, then turned to Ariel. "Oh ho! Ariel Samantha Black! Haven't seen you around for ages. Where have you been?"

Ariel decided to be brief and not say to much to control her anger. "Around."

"You have your father's eyes. It seems only yesterday he was in here himself, buying his first wand. Ten and a half inches, long and sturdy, made of oak. Nice wand for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Ariel's glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Your mother, on the other hand, got chosen by a nine and a half inch wand that was made of maple, swishy and pliable. Nice wand for both Transfiguration and Charms." Her eyes were like chips of blue-gray ice.

Ariel glared at him until he started and said in a business-like tone, "Well, now — Mr. Potter and Ms. Black. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.

Ariel rolled her eyes, putting down her books, and held out her arms as Mr. Ollivander said, "Hold out your arms. That's it."

He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head, then repeated with Ariel. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter and Ms. Black. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Ariel realized that the tape measure was measuring them on it own, and while it was doing this, Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once, then he gave it to Ariel, who shook her head.

Ariel couldn't explain how she knew, but she knew that wasn't her wand, like she had known that the creepy shopkeeper wanted to measure them to get an idea of what wand to use. Ariel also knew what her wand was-what combination it was-and what it looked like, though she couldn't explain how she knew. She would have to ask Dumbledore when she got to Hogwarts.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander and then gave it to Ariel, who shook her head again.

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried, and then Ariel. And tried some more. They had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customers, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand, which Ariel knew was his wand.

He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

Hagrid, and Ariel whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…" Then he got a sudden idea and he got a wand for Ariel. "Willow and phoenix feather. Ten and a half inches. Supple, sturdy, pliable, long, and swishy."

There it is, Ariel thought. My wand. Watch this everyone.

Then he started to mutter "Curious" again as Ariel took the wand and golden sparks that changed colors fast came out.

"Sorry," said Harry finally, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry and Ariel with his pale stare. Ariel looked horrified.

_NO!_ thought Ariel. _I don't want to share a core with _him_!_

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in yours, and Ms. Blacks wands, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for these wands when their brother — why, their brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed, and Ariel scowled.

"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, and of course, Ms. Black, after all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

Harry, and Ariel shivered. They weren't sure they liked Mr. Ollivander too much. They paid seven gold Galleons each for their wands, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry, Ariel and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap, and Ariel with her silver-black owl asleep in its cage. Ariel had more packages than Harry and she had her nose stuck in _Hogwarts, A History _again.

Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Ariel only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped her on the shoulder.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before Harry's train leaves," he said.

He bought Harry a hamburger, and Ariel a chicken salad and they sat down on plastic seats to eat.

Harry kept looking around, looking troubled and confused. Ariel was reading her book.

"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. "I know the reason Ariel is quiet. She's reading'."

Ariel looked up from her book to see Harry's reactions. He looked like he couldn't exactly explain what was on his mind. He chewed his burger in thought. She looked back down at her book.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. Ariel looked up and rolled her eyes.

"All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander….but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact."

Hagrid helped Harry, onto the train that would take them back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.

"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer tickets. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry." Ariel knew he had forgotten to mention the barrier because Ariel had told him about a family named the Weasley's helping him onto the train.

"I'll see you on the train, Harry. Bye'. It was great hanging out with you!" Ariel waved.

The train pulled out of the station. Ariel took Hagrid's hand as the Harry got to the compartment and he rose in his seat, pressing his nose against the window. But Hagrid looked around, saw Dumbledore, walked toward him as Harry blinked, and the train left the station completely, took Dumbledore's hand and Dumbledore Apparated to Mrs. Figgs house after a glance around the Muggle world.

**I tried to make a little difference between the stories. So review. Or not. But just know Ariel is not a normal human being. So anything strange she does, it's apart of her nature. 'Til next time.**


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